Thursday, September 30, 2010

The other night I attended a Fall Fashion & Accessories Trunk Show with a friend of mine [and the person I can say definitely helped spearhead my design career] Lisa Mowry. She is delightful and so much fun to be with.

I first met Lisa at least 15 years ago when she came to shoot a small bath in my home. I was so nervous but Lisa and the whole crew really rocked and made it such a memorable experience.

There were some great vendors there. Designers included Kathleen Plate the creator ofSmart Glass Jewelry. While her jewelry is made of recycled bottles, each piece is handmade and features recycled glass, sterling silver, or gold fill. She was adorable and I loved everything. It had a bohemian feel to it and here is the necklace I bought

You need to check it out!!!

Of course the next designer that caught my eye was Ann Roth Shoes. Whoa...."hello lovah".....gorgeous! Launched in the spring of 2006, each pair is handmade in Spain. I wanted every pair.... so elegantly designed with a bit of nostalgia. She has been featured in Lucky, USA today and Daily Candy. Here are a few pictures of some I fancied....

These...if George [Clooney] saw me in these he would not be able to resist :)

Double DE......lishious

I want so bad....

We got there around 5:15 not really planning to stay very long, but we got s scoop that some of "The Housewives of Atlanta" were going to show up so we decided to go across toYeah Burger and have dinner. Can I say YUM! And the fries...we ordered and had a few......crack! I highly recommend it. We strolled back over around 7:30 [it was over at 9:00]. We were totally up for a little celebrity stalking but after an hour we got tired of waiting. I did want to see Kim though and her boobs the size of Texas.

Now back to Lisa......She is a magazine editor, and her work has appeared in Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens, [which includes their special interest publications like Decorating, Kitchen and Baths, and Remodel] Traditional Home and Renovation Style. It is Lisa's job to scout out new projects that can be photographed for those publications. Lisa has a great eye for what is current in design and which direction it is heading and is always looking for unique rooms and good stories.

Look forward to an interview with Lisa about the shifts in design trends and what style of rooms those publications are searching for.

Monday, September 27, 2010

This is a first for me!!! I have watched others do it and was not quite sure how the flipping thing works. When other bloggers give things away, I hardly ever sign up because I never think I will win. I mean crikey, I buy lottery tickets and never win so I assume that I am jinxed.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

I think before I finish up with pictures of my changeover, I have a little something to say about styling and changing your decor. Just like in fashion, they are now updating home decor at a more rapid pace. Where people used to re-decorate every 10-15 years....then every 5-7 years, it almost seems like after a couple of years a room can seem dated. In my opinion that just means it is so much more important to carefully choose your larger items like upholstery and such, making sure that they are neutral enough to withstand the trends.

In fashion the basics such as black pants and a good pair of jeans can be re-accessorized without always starting over. A new pair of boots, scarfs, jewelry and a great bag will do the same thing as taking a room, changing out pillows, and a few things to freshen it up.

I only changed out one piece of furniture, a table for 39.00. Everything else has been achieved by shopping my home, hitting some retail stores and moving things around. The good thing, is in the spring when I put the white slipcovers back on, I probably won't put all the things I removed back in the same place. So it will again look different! To me this is fun, but I have friends who take pictures of how their house looks so they can always put it back together the same way.

I say, get in there and move it around!

Ok...on to part 2 of what has been happening around here.

Here is a before shot of a corner that now looks pretty darn bland to me :)

And now after a few changes

The only thing new is the small black table that I purchased from Homegoods and the floor lamp from Target. I wanted the one in the next picture....

So bad...but the price difference was 110.00. Dang...now after seeing it again I STILL want it.

I had the Ikea white pillows and throw from last summer. I also had the artillery basket for about 10 years. I have used it off and on.....AND, the pictures came from another bedroom.

Nothing new here except that little electrical box from Home Depot that the candle is in.

The glass jar thing had coral in it and I just added some old books and a bundle of raffia.

OK...this I've had forever.....the wooden bowl. I took some old books and tore off the covers, tied them with twine and threw a cream beaded necklace over them.

Another before shot

Had it all.....
The other side of the console.....before

After

I got the phone last month at Scott's. It was one of my 20.00 purchases...

Before......

What's new here....the frames [Michaels with 40% off coupon], the pictures I had purchased from Scott's a while back. I was never sure where I was going to use them but here they are! The 2 glass jars that I will put candles in are from Target.
We are almost done....Am I losing you?????

I have had this sign in my room for at least 15 years. It is so funny that old signs [especially black] are kind of trendy right now.

Hang in there...we are almost done. The basket from West Elm.

Close up of the hide which has been in almost every room now!

We're done...I swear! For now anyway! Ha Ha, we know it is never done. Want to hear something funny????? The only thing my husband noticed was the black table! Swear. Cause it is near his chair.....That's good in a way....:)

OK...stay tuned for the keeping area and the kitchen, that's how I roll.....can't stop now.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Well......after shopping my whole house, my garage, and my attic and some drawers I think my episode of "fall styling" is done. Could I have done more...absolutely but the whole purpose is to not break the bank. Oh yea.... you know I could. Once when my husband and I were in the car driving to Florida [5 hours and no where to hide!] he and I were talking finances [I rather wrassle with an Alligator] He looked at me and asked "How much money do you think we will need for retirement?" My reply: "Is that a trick question?"

A few before with afters....

White slipcovers, art over mantle which I do LOVE and posted when I found at Scott's. It will be back in April!

Switched it out to a tobacco basket that I had gotten at Scott's for 25.00 Added the candle sticks that I already had, as well as the hand and mercury glass object. Also, see the clamp light over the bookcase??? That is my take on some industrial which you can buy at Home Depot for about 6.00...and the good thing is that they work. I only put a 40 watt bulb in for soft light.

Another shot of before....you will see lot's of different things in my bookcases as I change them if I have 10 min to spare :)

And after....

Another before "summer" shot

More summer color....

The flax slipcovers that start the whole "gig". I did buy the black and white pillow covers [west elm] had the cow hide [from another bedroom] had the burlap pillow.

Here is a close up of the tray which I got at Target. It is actually a mirror and it was on clearance!

Just re- accessorized a little by adding the rope ball [had it].

The lampshade was an old one I had in the basement and I just cut strips of burlap and used stitch witchery to iron the strips together. The took it and wrapped it around the shade and secured with hot glue. Yep...had the burlap also. But...did get the lamp at Target on clearance for 20.00. Even better! I actually had a lamp, but I liked this one better.

Another shot of the pillows.

Here are some closeups of the bookshelves before

And after....

The only think that is new is the black vase on the very top. West Elm.

I had some old books that I just tore off the bindings.

I had all of this also, so I just took the paintbrushes [from Michaels purchased a while back] that had been in glass jars before and put them in this bowl with some black stones.

Here is the other bookcase. The only thing new is the small black vase which I also purchased at West Elm.

Stay tuned for part 2 that I will post tomorrow! I hope I have given you a few ideas that you can do seriously by just shopping your own house. OK...so maybe I did get a little carried away, that is my personality!

I have read all the post about "Nategate". Good and Bad. You know what...in the long run I think most people [when pressed] will say it was a memorable experience. I wish I could have been there. Am I bitter........you betcha!